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Poor Lawn.

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briffster
15/03/2013 at 01:11

I know it's still too wintery to be worrying too much. But can anyone recommend a good fertiliser to use in the coming months to encourage a decent grass growth. the soil is very thin and has a lot of builders rubbish in it. The lawn has several decent patches each year but also each year there are large patches that look worse than previous year. 

I have tried Miracle Gro lawn food before. Do I need something stronger?

 

Brumbull
15/03/2013 at 08:07

The only advice i will give you is to DIG THIS UP ! it does not really matter how much fertiliser / chemicals you apply your lawn will only be as good as the soil underneath your lawn. Start by making sure you have a decent base soil (NO rubble, bricks, large stones etc, certainly NO builders rubbish)

Take a look at the www.rowlawn. site, this will give you a general idea, at present you are wasting your time and money.

Verdun
15/03/2013 at 08:47
I agree with Brumbull. It's good time to dig up your lawn....I would trench in, upside down, your existing turf, and remove large rubble. How big is your lawn? If possible I would mix in mushroom compost or similar too. Spend time getting it level by regular raking to get good tilth. And a general fertiliser a week,or so before seed sowing. If its not too big, lawn preparation is a very satisfying project. Can you keep new lawn watered reasonably well?
Calendula
15/03/2013 at 09:40

I echo the advice to dig the lawn up, but why not go further and not relay it? I gave up on a lawn 5 years ago and have never looked back. No more boring mowing and a much more interesting (and full) garden.

sotongeoff
15/03/2013 at 10:25

briffster

Going to have be a bit brutal here I'm afraid-you keep asking about this lawn and prevaricating-do you want to keep it or not?-do you want to work on it or not? or just use it as a play area for the trampoline and kids?-are you going to put bark down?

It is time to stop asking for advice-people are happy to offer it-but you need to  make a decision-and only you can do that

briffster
15/03/2013 at 10:51

All help is appreciated and is helping me to decide the most suitable outcome.

 

Bunny ...
15/03/2013 at 10:55
If your lawn isn't going to recover are you not better to get on remove the old, sort the ground ready for some new turf/seeding say? You could fight on all year and still not win with what you have .
Brumbull
15/03/2013 at 11:35

If its going to be new turf ....................... then firstly replace / enrich the soil beneath the old lawn otherwise you will be wasting your time and money ........... if you are thinking of seeding then you need to wait until the weather improves

Verdun
15/03/2013 at 15:14
I know it's fashionable to discard awns now but.....what better smell in summer than freshly cut grass? What sets off a garden better than a green sward? What's better and more comfortable than grass to lounge or lie on? And we all feel satisfaction from having just cut he lawn. And, for some reason, the lawn is still synonymous with owning something quite precious.
It's worth some effort to archive a reasonable lawn
Realawnexpert
20/03/2013 at 02:18
Realawnexpert
20/03/2013 at 02:37
Feeding your lawn is not a solution. Don't expect a feed to do any more than that....feed the grass.
Assume a human being. If its not healthy, merely giving it more food will not make it well. In fact it could make it worse.

Scarifying is only done in this country to remove moss ( by amateurs) but we have species in this country that benefit from scarifying to thicken them up, as well.

The builders material? How thin is thin?

Lawns are professionally done by building over stone carpets so its not always a bad thing. Depends on depth obviously, but can be helpful to drainage.

Need to know more before you spend a fortune unnecessarily digging it up.
Ravens Gardens
20/03/2013 at 04:27

I completely agree with Calendula, Grow gardens, food instead of lawn

Realawnexpert
20/03/2013 at 05:34
Not sure the question he asks, is asking about removing lawn completely!!
complete lawn service
22/03/2013 at 16:33

Rather than going to the expense of digging up your lawn, have you thought of using a lawn care professional? Obviously it depends on the size of your lawn but prices start from around 15 quid per visit. They will visit 4 time a year and apply produts such as fertiliser, weedkiller, moss cotroller and overseeding..they will be able to give clear advice about bringing your lawn back to life and much cheaper than digging it up...

If you are going to diy, then I recommend scotts fertilisers with slow release.

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